Diaphragm pump



`Aug.2l, 1945. Y E. H. HERBERT 2,333,193

DIAPHRAGM PUMP Filed Nv. 1. 1943 `/7 /7 27l 36 23 3/ 3 56 35 F l 6 z 29 f/3 l /Z/ 29 54 6 22 3732 A l (7 l 25 3.2.37

/6 j T 253 2/ 4Z- A I9 V /9 t ,f .1J 24- f 25 \\`LI Irl l ,.4 EBEE 4 l 1l 1L V ,3a v INVENToR 4/ ELA/IEE H. HERBERT if; 7% M ATTORNEY vPatented Aug; 21, 1945 UNITED .STATI-:s PATENT' `or-'Flclz Elmer H. Herbert, Oakland, Calif., assignor to AOliver United Felters Incorporated, Oakland,

Calif., a corporation of Nevada Application November 1, 1943, Serial No. 508,528

4 claims. (Cl. v10a-152) This invention relates to a diaphragm pump, and has for one of its objects the provision in a pump of this type of a pair f solenoid-operated diaphragm valves for controlling the inlet and outlet of the pump chamber.

'I'he invention possesses other advantageous features. some of which with the foregoingwill be set forth at length in the following description where that form of the invention which has been selected for illustration in the drawing accompanying and forming a part'of the present specification is outlined in full. In said drawing, -one form of the invention is shown, but it is to be understood that it is not limited to such form, since the inventionas set forth in the claims may be embodied in a plurality ,of forms.

The single figure of the drawing is a mid-vertical section taken through a pump embodying the objects of my invention, and in whichthe solenoids, the clock, and their circuits 'are diagrammatically illustrated.

'I'he pump as shown in the drawing comprises a main chamber generally designated by the reference numeral I, form'ed by two opposed dished castings 2 and 3 bolted together along their respective peripheral flanges 4 and 5. Clamped between and sealed to the flanges 4 and 5 is a flexible working diaphragm I* preferably made of lrubber or other comparable material and arranged to reciprocate between the two opposed 'inner faces of the main chamber I. -Formed integral with the casting 3 and extending upwardly therefrom is a valve casing 6 provided with a transverse cylindrical conduit 1, communicating with the main chamber I through a central passageway 8. Extending upwardly from the ends of the conduit 'I is slurry inlet 9 and a slurry outlet I I arranged for communication respectively with the open ends of the conduit-1 through ciated with the passageway I2 may be referred to as an inlet diaphragm'. and the opposed diaphragm I-associated with the, outlet dia-- phragm as yan outlet diaphragm.V In effect,

these diaphragms constitute gates and therefore may be further qualified as "diaphragm gates.

Communication between the chamber defined Cil by the working diaphragm I and the casting 2 anda suitable source of fluid pressure is established by the conduit I9, a cross 2 I, a conduit 22, a solenoidvalve 23, and a conduit 24. The'diaphragm valve I4 is connected with the same source of fluidpressure by a conduit the solenoid-valve 23 and the conduit 24. Communication 4between the diaphragm Valve I5 and -source of fluid pressure is established by a conard construction and comprise a central chamber between its associated diaphragm valve :and the source of fluid pressure is cut off, and communication between the outer chamber of the dia` phragm valve and atmosphere is established through the central chamber 29, the lateral chamber 34, and a vent 3l formed therein.

'I'he solenoids 36 are connected through electric circuits 38 and a time switch or program clock 39 with a source of current 4I. By means of thev clock 39, the two solenoids may be made to operate successively in any predetermined cycle alternatively to positively open and close the inlet and outlet diaphragm valves I4 and I5, and to periodically operate the working diaphragm -I of the main pump chamber.

Connected to the cross 2 Il through a valve 42 is a pressure gauge 43, which may be used to determine the pressure under which the valve isbeing operated.

Shunted acrossthe circuit 38 is an electric counter. for continuously recording the number of strokes made by the pump.

The cycle of operation of a pump made in accordance with the above description is as follows:

As shown in the drawing,. the working diaphragm Ia has completed its exhaust stroke, the inlet diaphragm valve I4 is closed, the outlet diaphragm valve I5 is open, and the pump or Aslurry previously filling the main pump chamber I has been expelled outwardlythrough the passageways 8 and I3, and the slurry outlet I I. The program clock 39k then reverses the respective positions of solenoid-valves 23 and 21, thereby permitting the escape of air or other fluid 'working medium from the inlet diaphragm valve I4, and

vfrom the under side of -the pump diaphragm I throughthe conduits 25 and 22, through the central chamber 29 of the solenoid-valve 23, through the lower lateral chamber 32, and through the vent 31. Slurry then, under the action of gravity or other force, enters the inlet 9, traveling through y I closed, thereby preventing the escape of air through the vent 31. The discharge stroke of the pump is then eiected by reversing the positions of the solenoid-valves to the position shown in the drawingv and already described.

Although in the pump as above described, gravity alone has been relied upon for filling the pump, vacuum can be used for this purpose by connecting the vent 31 to a source of vacuum on vthe intake stroke of the pump.

By resorting to positively actuated diaphragm valves for controlling the cycle of operation of the pump, the pump can be used with a higher degree of accuracy as a metering pump than can pumps utilizing conventional check valves which depend on the direction of travel of the pulp or slurry within .the pump for their action.

It should be particularly noted that the solenoid-'valve 23 controls the operation of the Working diaphragm I as well as the operation of the inlet diaphragm valve I4. However, a separate solenoid-valve can be used to control the working diaphragm Ia, thereby permitting the separate timing of the valve 23 and insuring the closing of the inlet valve I4 before the working diaphragm Ia begins to operate.

lI claim:

1. A pump comprising: a slurry chamber; a working diaphragm sealed across said chamber and arranged for reciprocation therein; slurry inlet and outlet conduits communicating with said chamber; inlet and outlet diaphragm gates respectively associated with said inlet and `outlet conduits; and solenoid-operated time-controlled fluid means for actuating said working diaphragm and said inlet and outlet diaphragm gates in a cycle wherein when said working diaphragm is making its discharge stroke, 'said inlet diaphragm gate is in its closed position and said outlet diaphragm gate is in' its open position, and wherein when said working diaphragm is making its intake stroke, the positions of said gates are reversed.

2. A pump comprising: a slurry chamber; a

working diaphragm sealed across said chamber and arranged for reciprocation therein; slurry inlet and outlet conduits communicating with said chamber; inlet and outlet diaphgram gates respectively associated with said inlet and outlet conduits; .solenoid-controlled fluid meansfor simultaneously actuating said working diaphragm and inlet diaphragm gate; and independent solenoid-controlled fluid means for actuating said outlet diaphragm gate, the operation of said gates 4and said working diaphragm being so correlated thatwhen said workingv diaphragm is effecting its discharge stroke, said outlet gate is in its open position and said inlet gate is in its closed position, and when said working diaphragm is effecting its intake stroke, said inlet gate is in its open position and said outlet gate is in its closed position.

3. A pump comprising: a pump body divided by a working diaphragm into a slurry chamber and a working chamber; inlet and outlet conduits communicating with said slurry chamber; inlet and outlet diaphragm gate valves associated respectively with said inlet and outlet conduits; a`

iirst conduit establishing communication between said working chamber and said inlet diaphragm gate valve; a uid pressure line communicating with said rst conduit; 'a second conduit establishing communication between said outlet diaphragm gate valve and said fluid pressure line; a rst valve interposed in said fluid pressure line at a. point between its junctions with said first and second conduits; a second valve interposed intermediate the ends of` said second conduit; and time-controlled means for alternately opening and closing said rst and second valves in opposed sequence. s

4. A pump comprising: a pump body divided by a working diaphragm into a slurry chamber and working chamber; inlet and outlet conduits communicating with said slurry chamber; inlet and `outlet diaphragm gate valves associated respectively with said inlet and outlet conduits; a first conduit `establishing communication between said working chamber and said inlet diaphragm gate valve; a uid pressure line communicating with said first conduit, a second conduit establishing communication between said outlet diaphragm lgate valve and said fluid pressure line; a first time-controlled means for alternately energizing v said solenoids.

ELMER H. HERBERT.

CERTIEICATE 0F QORRECTION. Patent No. 2,5855195; VAugussz, 19h5, ELMER H. HERBERT.

It is hereby certified that the name of the assignee in the above numbered 'patent was erroneeusly described and specified as "Oliver nited Feiters Incorporated whereas said name should have been described and specifiedV asv --Oliver United Filters Ine9rporated5 as shown by the record of assignments in this office; and that the said Letters Patent should be read with this oorrection therein that.the same may conform to the record of the case in the Patent Office; i f i Signed and sealed this 5th day ef February, A. D. 19l|.6.A

Leslie Frazer (Seal) First Assistant Commssiner of Patents. 

